You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them ontime (no later than Friday, October 6). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
Note: Like other plays we have dealt with, the construction of this play is unique and often challenging to readers. It generally works well on the stage but not so well in the study. So, the questions posed about the construction of the play do not easily follow Ball’s method of analysis. So, I have taken the liberty to change up some of the questions.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve? NOTE: Do not assume that the stasis of the play is the same as the stasis of the video version that you are required to see. Only discuss the play in this and answers to the following questions.
The stasis of this play occurs in Crown Heights, Brooklyn in 1991. Due to a car accident, where a young African American kid was killed while riding his bike. When the jewish first response showed up, they helped the injured jewish people, but left the boy. This created a lot of emotion and tension between the two groups.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken?
This layout for this play made it hard for me to determine the intrusion. This is due to there not being a single linear path that is followed. I do believe that the moment that allowed for a lot of dramatic action to build is the scene where Rabbi Spielman is interviewed. In this interview he finally addresses the situation that is going on. This brings a sense of responsibility for the situation to the jewish community.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer?
The unique factor of this play is the car accident. This creates tension between two communities, black and jewish. This tension allows for the dramatic action to take place in each of the characters scenes.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will tension die down between the black and jewish communities?
Will justice be brought to both sides?
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator.
The most obvious obstacle in this play is the tension between the Jewish and black communities. This is shown through the emotion in each of the interviews and scenes. Showing interviews from each side allows the audience to see the whole situation instead of just one view.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror.
The scene involving Cato's father could be identified as one of the most theatrical moments because it can draw a lot of emotion from the audience. Also, the interviews of the anonymous men seem to be quite theatrical. This is due to the fact that the anonymity makes these scenes seem more real.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
Note: Like other plays we have dealt with, the construction of this play is unique and often challenging to readers. It generally works well on the stage but not so well in the study. So, the questions posed about the construction of the play do not easily follow Ball’s method of analysis. So, I have taken the liberty to change up some of the questions.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve? NOTE: Do not assume that the stasis of the play is the same as the stasis of the video version that you are required to see. Only discuss the play in this and answers to the following questions.
The stasis of this play occurs in Crown Heights, Brooklyn in 1991. Due to a car accident, where a young African American kid was killed while riding his bike. When the jewish first response showed up, they helped the injured jewish people, but left the boy. This created a lot of emotion and tension between the two groups.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken?
This layout for this play made it hard for me to determine the intrusion. This is due to there not being a single linear path that is followed. I do believe that the moment that allowed for a lot of dramatic action to build is the scene where Rabbi Spielman is interviewed. In this interview he finally addresses the situation that is going on. This brings a sense of responsibility for the situation to the jewish community.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer?
The unique factor of this play is the car accident. This creates tension between two communities, black and jewish. This tension allows for the dramatic action to take place in each of the characters scenes.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will tension die down between the black and jewish communities?
Will justice be brought to both sides?
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator.
The most obvious obstacle in this play is the tension between the Jewish and black communities. This is shown through the emotion in each of the interviews and scenes. Showing interviews from each side allows the audience to see the whole situation instead of just one view.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror.
The scene involving Cato's father could be identified as one of the most theatrical moments because it can draw a lot of emotion from the audience. Also, the interviews of the anonymous men seem to be quite theatrical. This is due to the fact that the anonymity makes these scenes seem more real.